Bottom Line:
Promoter analysis indicated that the SsuHsfs promoters included various cis-acting elements related to hormone and/or stress responses.The results demonstrated that the SsuHsfs were involved in abiotic stress responses.Our results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of the SsuHsf gene family, and will facilitate functional characterization in future studies.

Affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry Beijing, China ; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing, China.

ABSTRACTHeat shock transcription factors (Hsfs), which act as important transcriptional regulatory proteins, play crucial roles in plant developmental processes, and stress responses. Recently, the genome of the shrub willow Salix suchowensis was fully sequenced. In this study, a total of 27 non-redundant Hsf genes were identified from the S. suchowensis genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the members of the SsuHsf family can be divided into three groups (class A, B, and C) based on their structural characteristics. Promoter analysis indicated that the SsuHsfs promoters included various cis-acting elements related to hormone and/or stress responses. Furthermore, the expression profiles of 27 SsuHsfs were analyzed in different tissues and under various stresses (heat, drought, salt, and ABA treatment) using RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that the SsuHsfs were involved in abiotic stress responses. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of the SsuHsf gene family, and will facilitate functional characterization in future studies.

Mentions:
The sequence conservation among SsuHsf proteins was also supported by their identity at the amino acid level (0.023–0.83, Figure 3). Six pairs of SsuHsfs (A1a-A1c, A4a-A4c, A6a-A6b, A7a-A7b, A8a-A8b, and B4b-B4d) exhibited high sequence identity. Detailed information on the identity among SsuHsf, PtHsf, AtHsf amino acid sequences is shown in Figure S1.

Mentions:
The sequence conservation among SsuHsf proteins was also supported by their identity at the amino acid level (0.023–0.83, Figure 3). Six pairs of SsuHsfs (A1a-A1c, A4a-A4c, A6a-A6b, A7a-A7b, A8a-A8b, and B4b-B4d) exhibited high sequence identity. Detailed information on the identity among SsuHsf, PtHsf, AtHsf amino acid sequences is shown in Figure S1.

Bottom Line:
Promoter analysis indicated that the SsuHsfs promoters included various cis-acting elements related to hormone and/or stress responses.The results demonstrated that the SsuHsfs were involved in abiotic stress responses.Our results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of the SsuHsf gene family, and will facilitate functional characterization in future studies.

Affiliation:
State Key Laboratory of Tree Genetics and Breeding, Key Laboratory of Tree Breeding and Cultivation of the State Forestry Administration, Research Institute of Forestry, Chinese Academy of Forestry Beijing, China ; Co-Innovation Center for Sustainable Forestry in Southern China, Nanjing Forestry University Nanjing, China.

ABSTRACTHeat shock transcription factors (Hsfs), which act as important transcriptional regulatory proteins, play crucial roles in plant developmental processes, and stress responses. Recently, the genome of the shrub willow Salix suchowensis was fully sequenced. In this study, a total of 27 non-redundant Hsf genes were identified from the S. suchowensis genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the members of the SsuHsf family can be divided into three groups (class A, B, and C) based on their structural characteristics. Promoter analysis indicated that the SsuHsfs promoters included various cis-acting elements related to hormone and/or stress responses. Furthermore, the expression profiles of 27 SsuHsfs were analyzed in different tissues and under various stresses (heat, drought, salt, and ABA treatment) using RT-PCR. The results demonstrated that the SsuHsfs were involved in abiotic stress responses. Our results contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of the SsuHsf gene family, and will facilitate functional characterization in future studies.